BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
in tempo
Yaseen Jones
HONORING BARBARA BOZZUTO :
A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP & PHILANTHROPY
On the first Classical Thursday evening of the 2023-24 season , an enthusiastic crowd at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall prepared to enjoy Music Director Jonathon Heyward lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ( BSO ) in a program featuring Dvořák ’ s “ New World ” Symphony , with guest pianist Jean- Yves Thibaudet performing Gershwin ’ s Piano Concerto in F . As the auditorium lights dimmed , the audience learned they would be joining in an equally historic moment — the official announcement of the BSO ’ s first named box in decades . For the rest of the season and in perpetuity , Grand Tier Box F , Left at the Meyerhoff will proudly bear the name of Barbara M . Bozzuto .
Barbara ( third from left ), together with her husband Tom and family in front ofTthe Barbara M . Bozzuto Box
Barbara Bozzuto ’ s record of leadership at the BSO is unparalleled . A longstanding Board member , as well as a past Chair of both a season-opening Gala and an ambitious endowment fundraising campaign , Barbara was elected to serve as the Chair of the BSO ’ s Board of Directors in 2014 , the first woman to hold this prestigious role in the Orchestra ’ s then 98-year history . During her tenure as Chair , Barbara oversaw many remarkable milestones , including the Orchestra ’ s first international tour in over a decade with debut performances at the BBC Proms in London and the Edinburgh International Festival — performances also featuring the evening ’ s guest pianist , Jean-Yves Thibaudet ! She also sparked the incredible transformation that has led the Orchestra to Jonathon Heyward and our exciting new musical journey together . In 2019 , Barbara was unanimously named a Chair Laureate , an honor reserved for those Board leaders who have left an indelible mark on the BSO ’ s history . Today , Barbara continues to advocate passionately for the Orchestra ’ s success . In addition to serving as an active member of the Baltimore Symphony Endowment Trust , she is also a practicing pianist in her own right , taking regular lessons from the BSO ’ s resident keyboardist Lura Johnson .
Endowing a physical space at the Meyerhoff , like a chair in the Orchestra , is an extraordinary action . For the Bozzuto family , endowing a box in Barbara ’ s name is not only a tribute befitting her extraordinary leadership , but also a purposefully visible one . Their desire ? To inspire every subscriber and ticket holder sitting in or walking past the box to follow Barbara ’ s leadership in action and philanthropy , perhaps even sparking a movement that would see every box in the Meyerhoff or seat in the Hall named , and additional endowment support pledged . The fact that Box F left affords some of the best views of world-class pianists in performance with the Orchestra is simply the icing on the cake .
Barbara , together with her husband Tom , children Lexie and Toby , and their spouses , were all in attendance for the official unveiling of “ Barbara ’ s Box .” A full-circle moment , this evening was particularly special for the Bozzuto family . Long before the family made this most recent $ 1M endowment gift to name Box F Left in Barbara ’ s honor , they came together in another powerful act of generosity : creating an endowed fund to underwrite the regular appearance of distinguished guest pianists with the Baltimore Symphony . In fitting fashion , the season ’ s opening Classical program welcomed Jean-Yves Thibaudet back to the BSO as the season ’ s Bozzuto Family Distinguished Guest Pianist . In fact , Jean-Yves enjoyed the second half of the evening ’ s concert as one of the inaugural patrons enjoying the music and the view from The Barbara M . Bozzuto Box .
6 OVERTURE / BSOmusic . org